The Game Changer (20 page)

“Poor kid,” Olivia said, tutting and shaking her head.

“I know. It broke my heart.” Melody pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. “I’m going to have to earn her trust and prove to her that not everyone is going to abandon her.”

“You will. It’ll just take time.” Olivia was silent for a moment, then her face brightened. “Maybe I could talk to her,” she ventured. “Our situations are different, but the outcome is the same. Our mothers both abandoned us. I could tell her how you were always there for me and how you and Rita were always my rocks. Maybe hearing it from someone who’s been through something similar would help her.”

Melody nodded slowly to herself as she mulled it over. Rita
had
said she wanted Ava to spend time with both of them. Perhaps as someone who had been through something similar, Olivia could reach Ava on a level that Melody herself wasn’t able to.

Mistaking Melody’s silence for uncertainty, Olivia said, “Think about it anyway.” She patted Melody’s leg. “And as for her comment about making promises you can’t keep, you just have to show her you’re not like her mother. Imagine all the promises Jackie must have made and broken, how many times Ava was left disappointed. She’s bound to be damaged by that.” She smiled sadly when Melody glanced at her. “I know I was…still am in some ways.”

Melody sighed. “Having you talk to her would probably be a good idea. It would be nice for her to have someone to relate to.” Selfishly, Melody had hoped that someone would be her. After being absent in Ava’s life through circumstances beyond her control, she wanted to prove herself now; she wanted Ava to like her, admire her, look up to her. Love her.

Melody shook the thoughts from her head. A relationship between herself and her niece wouldn’t happen overnight, and in the meantime whatever and
who
ever was able to help Ava was fine with her. “I suppose you’d be an okay role model,” she said, trying to keep a straight face. “I guess you didn’t turn out so bad.”

Olivia scoffed. “Bitch, please. I’m amazing and you know it.”

“Yeah, you kind of are. And it’s so good to see it hasn’t gone to your head.”

Olivia gave Melody a shove so she toppled over sideways on the couch, laughing. Melody propped herself up on the arm of the couch, and Olivia did the same at the other end so they were facing each other with their legs stretched out.

“Tell me about your night,” Melody said.

A slow, dreamy smile spread over Olivia’s face and lit her eyes. “Cameron is incredible, Mel. I’ve never met anyone like him before. He’s sweet and funny and thoughtful. He brought me flowers tonight when he picked me up. Can you believe that?”

Melody had noticed the vase of pink and white peonies on the kitchen island the moment she walked into the apartment earlier that evening. “They’re beautiful,” she commented. “And that really is super romantic.”

“I know!” Olivia’s cheeks were rosy as she beamed at Melody. “He took me down to the Boathouse, and we sat at a table for two with candles in the centre. We had a view of the marina, so we got to see the sun set over the water. After dinner, we walked along the harbour and watched the stars come out.”

Olivia trailed off, lost in her thoughts. Her cheeks were still flushed, and Melody expected to see little hearts replace her irises or float over her head at any minute.

“After that we went back to his place, and…”

“And…” Melody prompted.

“We had a glass of wine, he turned on some music, and we talked.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Melody joked.

Olivia prodded her with her foot. “I’m serious. We just hung out on his couch and talked. Sex never even came up. In fact, it wasn’t even really on my mind.”

Melody raised an eyebrow skeptically.

“Okay, okay, he’s unbelievably sexy, of course it was on my mind,” Olivia conceded, rolling her eyes. “But it was in the back of my mind. I wasn’t thinking about when we were going to have sex, or wanting to jump him instead of hearing about his family. I actually enjoyed listening to him talk, and when I spoke I knew he was interested and not just pretending to be interested to get in my pants.”

“Sounds like a keeper,” Melody said.

Olivia bit her lip. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, afraid of…excited about. I don’t know. You know I wasn’t looking for anything serious. I just moved back to town, and I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have all these possibilities open to me now, and time to decide, but…I don’t want to be aimless, I really want to figure this out. What if having a guy in my life complicates things?”

“Of course having a guy in your life will complicate things,” Melody said, and Olivia frowned. “It always does, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sometimes complicated can be good.”

“Explain.”

“You’re never one to back down from a challenge,” Melody pointed out. “In fact, you
like
to be challenged. You thrive on it. I think that’s why relationships have never worked for you before. They’re too convenient, or the guy has nothing to offer that will keep you interested in the long run. Now that your career path is uncertain, throw a guy into the mix and it complicates things more. Only this complication is tall, hot, and romantic.”

And, Melody thought, knowing Olivia as well as she did, she was sure Olivia probably didn’t think she deserved a man as amazing as Cameron appeared to be. Olivia hadn’t been kidding before when she’d said part of her was still damaged.

“A good complication,” Olivia said quietly, her eyes distant. “Hmm.”

“You don’t have to make a commitment right now,” Melody reasoned. “You have time to figure things out. Cameron obviously isn’t in any hurry, so just take the time to see where things go.”

Olivia’s faraway gaze refocused on Melody. “You’re right,” she said slowly. “I have time. When did you get so wise?”

Melody shrugged. “Finally learning from past mistakes, I guess.” She thought about Rick and how unhappy she’d been without even really realizing it. She’d been stuck in a rut, living a boring life, and telling herself she was content because her relationship with Rick had been familiar and comfortable. She still wanted familiar and comfortable, but she didn’t want the monotony that sometimes came with it. She wanted excitement and romance. She wanted to be challenged.

Now she just had to find someone who challenged her.

*****

“Won’t you reconsider? Please? You’re making me feel bad.”

It was Friday night, and Olivia and Cameron were about to head out to Atlantis. Julian was out of town for the night, and Melody had opted to stay home rather than be a third wheel—even after Olivia had used her analogy of her favourite childhood tricycle again.

“I’m just not feeling it tonight,” Melody told her for what felt like the hundredth time. “I’m tired and my feet hurt.”

Olivia pouted. On anyone else, it would have driven Melody crazy, but it always amused her when Olivia did it. “Okay, fine. But will you at least consider coming out tomorrow night? Julian will be back, and the four of us can go. You’ll have two big, strong men there to watch out for you if Rick the dick and Sydney the munchkin from hell show up.”

Melody laughed. “I’ll consider it. Now go away, my movie’s about to start.” She pointed to the television where the opening credits of
Bridget Jones’ Diary
were beginning.

“You and that movie,” Olivia said, leaving Cameron’s side to bend over the back of the couch and kiss Melody’s cheek.

“Nothing like Bridget Jones to make a girl feel better about her non-existent love life,” Melody said, kissing Olivia back. “And you know how much I love Colin Firth.”

“I do. Which is the only reason I haven’t lost my mind during the five million times you’ve made me watch this movie and its sequel.”

The sound of Cameron chuckling drew their attention to the doorway, where he was patiently waiting for Olivia to rejoin him.

Olivia grinned at him, then turned back to Melody. “Last chance. Maybe you’ll meet your very own Mr. Darcy at Atlantis.” At Melody’s exasperated look, she held up her hands in surrender. “Had to try.” She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “If I decide to spend the night at Cam’s I’ll text you, okay?”

Melody nodded, then watched as Olivia crossed the room and took Cameron’s hand. She tried to ignore the niggling little voice in her head that reminded her how much she missed contact like that—holding hands, kissing, cuddling…other more intimate things. “Have fun, you two.”

Cameron waved and went out the door first. Olivia jingled her keys to let Melody know she would lock the door, then she waved and blew her a cheeky kiss before following Cameron.

When the movie was over two hours later, Melody stopped resisting the heaviness of her eyelids, and let them slip closed. She wasn’t sure how long she slept, but she was startled awake by her phone vibrating with a text message.

I’m downstairs. Feeling up to a visit?

Julian. Melody leaped off the couch and dashed to the window. Julian’s car was idling in a parking spot close to the building. She couldn’t see inside the car, but he flashed his headlights off and on, so he must have seen her.

She held up a finger to signal for him to wait, then grabbed her keys and headed out the door. Halfway down the stairs, she remembered she had changed into her pajamas during a commercial, but it was too late to do anything about that now.

From the window in the back door Melody could see Julian leaning against the side of his car. She couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips when she saw him. “I thought you were out of town,” she called, holding the door open.

“I was, but I decided to come back tonight.” He clicked the automatic lock on his keychain and ambled toward her. He looked sexy and comfortable in dark, loose-fitting jeans and a black t-shirt. Melody reasoned that it was okay for friends to notice that other friends looked sexy. It didn’t mean anything. She thought Olivia was sexy, but that didn’t mean she was attracted to her.

“I just got into town.” He reached her, and bent to press a friendly kiss to her cheek. “I thought you’d be at Atlantis with Liv, so I was surprised when I drove by and saw your lights on. You okay?”

“Yeah, fine, just didn’t feel like clubbing tonight,” Melody explained, opening the door wider so he could enter.

Julian gave her a knowing look. “Olivia out with Cameron?”

“Yes, but that’s not why I didn’t want to go. I’m tired.”

Julian nodded, but he didn’t look entirely convinced by her explanation. “I think we both know the real reason you didn’t go out tonight.” When Melody opened her mouth to protest, he held up a hand, silencing her. “It’s because you couldn’t stand the thought of going without me.”

Melody burst out laughing. “God, your ego really knows no bounds,” she said, shoving him. “Are you coming up or not?”

“Do you
want
me to? It’s late, I probably shouldn’t have just stopped in, but I haven’t seen you all week, so…”

“You missed me!” Melody exclaimed, delighted with the realization.

Julian shrugged. “Maybe I did,” he said casually. “But I’d be willing to bet you missed me, too.”

Melody mimicked his lazy shrug and turned to head up the stairs. “Perhaps.” When she was halfway up the stairs, she glanced over her shoulder and saw he was still at the bottom of the stairs. “Coming?”

“I was just admiring the view,” Julian said, bounding up the stairs and passing her.

Flushing hotly, Melody climbed the remainder of the stairs and opened the apartment door. “Is that an appropriate thing for a
friend
to do?” she asked primly.

Julian chuckled. “Probably not. You have to give me points for being honest, though.” When all Melody did was laugh and shake her head, he added, “Nice jammies.”

Melody looked down at her pajamas—pale pink cotton capri pants with steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and a matching tank top—and cringed as she remembered she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. She suddenly felt like Julian had gotten much more than he’d bargained for when he showed up at her door. Like a late night peep show, for instance.

She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. “Why don’t you…” She waved one hand toward the couch, then left Julian standing in the entryway with a grin lighting his features. Dashing into her bedroom, she grabbed a robe and returned a second later to find Julian sitting on the couch finishing her wine from earlier.